Raising awarness, one stop at a time

Journey of Hope, a 65-day, 4,400-mile transnational bicycle trip geared toward raising awareness and money on behalf of people with disabilities, stopped in Pullman on a mission of goodwill Sunday.

The marathon is orchestrated by the Ability Experience, the philanthropic arm of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, and is populated by fraternity members, like Tyler Lampard, a 23-year-old Pi Kappa Phi alumni from Colorado State University.

Lampard said the groups often coordinate their visits with local organizations.

"Usually we partner with specific programs within that community that have a network filled with people who have disabilities," Lampard said. "There's also two other routes that started in San Francisco and Long Beach, and they go throughout the country on a different route, and we all meet up in D.C. on Aug. 11."

Lampard said each time they stop in a city, they do what they call a "friendship visit," where they mingle with local disability groups at various casual events, including bowling, dance parties and, in the case of Pullman, swimming at the local aquatic center. Journey of Hope partners with the disabilities support organization Families Together for its Pullman event, Lampard said. He said these stops are one of the highlights of the trip.

"Even after a long day like today, you get a second wind when you know you're going to play with people," Lampard said, "because they're always really excited to see you, and (it is a) really big boost of energy."

The 32-state trek has been in existence since 1988 and covers a combined 12,000 miles, raising more than $500,000 annually. Lampard said there are 105 total participants this year, with about 34 members riding the route through Pullman.

Project Manager Alex Spencer, a 21-year-old engineering technology major at Western Carolina University, said this is his second year participating in the program and his first managing. He said he spent much of last semester organizing the trip and lining up host sites where the crew and cyclers can sleep.

Outreach Director for Families Together Karen Nelson said this is just one of several events her organization hosts throughout the year intended to integrate the greater Pullman community with their disabled neighbors. She said this year's event was smaller than it had been in years past - possibly due to chilly weather - but she hopes to see it expand in coming years.

"People tend to think it's only for families with children with disabilities, but that's not the case," Nelson said. "We want to be inclusive."

People with disabilities make up as much as 12 percent of the population, Nelson said, yet they are one of the most misunderstood demographics. She said events like these help create empathy and inclusivity throughout the community and benefits all those involved.

"It has a huge impact on self-esteem for our kids, but also for these young men. We're making them stronger. We're showing them a world that maybe they weren't even aware of," Nelson said. "That's why they're doing this, to raise awareness, but I think there's growth for them as well."

Scott Jackson can be reached at (208) 883-4636, or by email to sjackson@dnews.com.